Flue-stopper.



PLUE s` PPPPP R.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELWIN I. SHELDON, OF GREENWOOD, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OFlONE-IIALF TO AUGUST BAUMANN, OF GREENWOOD, WISCONSIN.

FLUE-STOPPER. A 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1907.

Application filed March 3, 1906. Serial NO. 304,030-

To all Iwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELWIN I. SHELDON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Greenwood, in the county of Clark and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flue-Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fiue stoppers of that kind provided with a closure plate adapted to cover the flue opening, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and effective device of this nature provided with means for securing it in applied position and for receiving the dirt or soot which is ordinarily deposited in the flue opening and is liable to fall within the room or compartment when the stopper is removed preparatory to inserting a stove pipe within the flue opening.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure l is a vertical section through a flue and stopper embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the stopper. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a flue and 2 the flue opening or passage formed in the wall 3.

The stopper comprises a closure plate 4 having a substantially flat central portion 5 and a rearwardly curved or bent rim 'provided with a flat flange 6a. The plate 4 closes the outer end of the iiue opening 2 With its flange 6a bearing in the usual manner against the face of the wall 3 around the opening. Carried by the plate is a pan or receptacle 7, preferably of substantially semi-circular form and closed at its rear end by a wall 8. The forward end of said pan or receptacle is normally open and closed by the Central portion 5 of the plate. The pan or receptacle extends rearwardly from the plate and rests upon the bottom of the flue opening to catch the dirt or soot deposited therein from the flue. may be fastened to the plate in any preferred manner, but is preferably secured thereto by providing the front edge of the pan with a anged portion 9 to bear against the plate, said flanged portion being slit at intervals and parts thereof displaced to form tongues 10 which project through slits or openings l0*EL in the plate and are clenched upon .the outer face thereof to firmly fasten the plate in position. The peculiar formation of the plate described provides an annular shoulder 1l against which the flanged end of the pan bears, the shoulder forming a seat to more rmly and securely hold the pan in applied position.

A spring 12 consisting of a looped piece of spring The forward end of the pan Wire is employed for holding the stopper in operative position. This spring has its central portion bowed upwardly to bear against the upper wall of the flue opening 2 as at 12a and is suitably secured at its forward end to the plate, as indicated at 13. The rear end ofthe spring is downwardly and forwardly curved, as at 12b, and projects into the pan through an opening 14 formed in the rear wall thereof, the wire being loosely movable in said opening in order to permit the spring to adjust itself to the size of the passage 2 and bear with the required force against the wall thereof. The free end 12 of the spring terminates within the body of the pan and is upwardly bent or cin-ved to extend on a proper arc with the portion 12b to permit the latter to be properly movable through the opening 14, and such construction of the spring also causes an upward pressiue to be exerted by the portion 12*1 against the upper wall of the opening 2, by which the pressure of the spring and the weight of the pan resting on the bottom wall of the opening serve to hold the device in position. By mounting the part 12b to slide freely in the opening 14 provision is made 'to permit the spring Wire to be bent to vary the form of the bow or loop so that the pressure 'of the part 12L may be increased or diminished, as will be readily understood. The spring also serves the additional function of a handle, whereby when the stopper is removed it may be conveniently transported.

The operation of the device will be readily understood, and it will be seen that as the greater porportion of the dirt and soot deposited in the ue passage 2 will be caught by the pan 7, the removal of such portion of the deposits will be cleanly effected when the stopper is detached,'thus preventing the objection previously stated.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, iszl. A flue stopper comprising a closure plate, a receptacle extending rearwardly therefrom, said receptacle being open at the top and closed at its front end by the plate and provided with a rear wall having an opening in the upper portion thereof, and a bowed spring arranged above the pan and fixed at its forward end to the plate, the rear end of said spring being extended forwardly and loosely through the opening in the said rear wall of the pan and bent upward at its extremity to exert an upward spring tension.

2. A fiue stopper comprising a closure plate having a substantially flat central portion, and a rearwardly curved rim terminating in a iiat bearing ange, an annular shoulder being formed at the juncture of said central portion and rim, an open-topped pan extending rearwardly from the closure plate and provided with a rear Wall having an opening, therein and an open front end, the latter being closed by the hat portion of the plate, the body of the pan bearing at its-forward end against said shoulder and being provided with a flange abutting against the at portion of the plate and provided with fastening tongues extending therethrough, and a bowed spring fas tened at one end to the flat portion of the plate labove the pan and extending above and in rear of the latter andy having its other end inturned and loosely projecting through the opening in the rear wall of the pan.

In testimony whereof, I :iflx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELWIN I. SHELDON.

Witnesses 1 C. I-I. CLU'iu, CH. KIPPENHAU. 

